Press loading mechanism



April 1952 E. cRosToN PRESS LOADING MECHANISM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 14, 1949 INVENTOR.

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E 020 dro L. Crosfon REYNOLDS 5 BEACH BY ATTORNEYS l i l I i April 15, 1952 E. L. CROSTON 2,593,012

' PRESS LOADING MECHANISM Filed May 14,1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

fdw aro L. Croa/on REYNOLDS 5 BEACH ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 15, 1952 PRESS LOADING MECHANISM Edward L. Croston, Dash Point, Wash., assignor to American Manufacturing Company, Inc.,

Tacoma, Wash., a corporation of Washington Application May 14, 1949, Serial No. 93,253

This invention relates to sheet loading mechanismsand is primarily concerned with improvements in the .type ofdevice disclosed generally in the patent to Skoog, No. 2,376,457, May 22, 1945.. As herein described, the improved loading device is adapted to be used in connection with a multiplaten press, such as for pressing veneer in the manufacture of plywood; but is applicable for loading different types of equipment for other operations, such as drying.

The loading device described has one or more sheet supporting trays vertically spaced and movably mounted appropriately for entrance, each. carrying a sheet or group of sheets, into the spaces between the successivev press platens, the latterebeing arranged one spaced above the other when the press is opened. .The stacked sheets, carried into the press by forward movement of the respective trays, are depositedpn the underlying platens by reverse movement of the trays. In their reverse movement, the trays are withdrawn from beneath the several sheets until the latter are supported at full length on the press platens. Transfer of the sheets to the platens in this manner during return movement ofrthe trays is eifected by hold-back or pusher bars which engage the sheets to prevent the trays dragging them back by friction. The trays, pusher bars and their respective operating mechanisms constitute elements of the general loading mechanism in its withdrawn entirety from the press before subsequent press operation. Moreover, valuable operating time is saved by-charging the loader while the press is closed, such-that'when the press again opens the panels pressed therein are ejected by the advancing trays, and the next charge of sheets is simultaneously inserted.

Heretofore, certain parts of such loading devices, subject to wear, have been difficult to replace. Parts which failed because of undetected wear have caused considerable damage to the press. Parts which were found to be defective during operation interrupted use of the press during repair operations. sometimes escaped under the pusl er bar and were dragged back with the trays, delaying oper'ationor damaging work. v

This invention involves an improved tray structure which enables replacement of parts most subject to wear economically and so rapidly that exchange of parts may be accomplished usually without disrupting appreciably the normal operation of the loading mechanism and press. Further objects are to devise such an improved tray structure designed for durability In addition, sheetsv andlminimum wear of the escaping beneath the bars during wi the trays from the press; I

. The over-all considerations of low ini large. measure into disclosed.

The particular objects and adv which the following detailed. des based.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of my improved loading mechanism as a1)... plied to theloading of a multiplaten press,v portionsof the press and loading mechanism, being.

broken away for ease of illustration.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the loading 7 taken on the sectionline v mechanism and press, 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional detail viewjof the re ceiving end of one of the loadingunits, showing a portion of the loading tray and the associated 3 presser bar mechanism.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view e, taken on line of a fragment of the tray structur 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a loading tray illustrating by broken lines;

the manner of removing the tray-plate-su'pportr ing longitudinal brass channel shoes for replac ment of shoes, and Figure 6 is a horizontalsec-fj tional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top perspective view f 1 of a tray showing a channeled portion.

Reference is made to the Skoog patent men tioned above for general aspects of operation of the loading mechanism. The illustrated mechanism includes loading trays Ill registering with j press platens l2 and s'upportedin cantilever; fashion by vertical angle-iron supporting legs j I4 at the loading ends of the trays. Remote from the supports M the discharge ends of the trays press platens on. which; the trays move, and wherein the tray structurs parts subjected to wear are comparatively; inexpensive, easily accessible for replacement and which arepertain also to the In particular, the bars are specially formed with, tabs traveling in tray channels to prevent sheets thdrawal of tial cost, simplicity, reliability and ruggedness of. con-.i struction, as well as operational accuracy in positioning sheets in the press have entered in the improvements herein antages ,of the. invention maybe further appreciated and, its various features and details best understood, .by -.j reference to the accompanying drawings upon;v cription is...

-tion of the platen surfaces on which the trays slide when entering the press. Edgewise reciprocation of the trays parallel to the press platens is effected by a pair of drive chains 24 connected by a fittingfl: to.the.respective tray'lgs' Won the loweren'dsof which are mounted Wheels l8 rolling on tracks 20. These chains pass around pinions 26 on the vertical frame members I! at the corners of the mechanism and are;driven-by, a third chain 29 from suitable power means (not shown). Operation of this tray;ca'rriage mechanism. may be made automatic; if. desiredlcoordimated with opening of the press;

Similarly, the coacting pusher: bars; 42: are; shifted by pairs of chains 40, one pair connected. to the opposite ends of each bar, extending alon'g' the. tray opposite side edges, and passing over sprockets; 31-:- on.- stub 'shaf 38 mounted on the discharge: en'd corners offthe trays; and sprockets afii-orrparallel'driye' shaftsBWcarried-by. brackets: 34*secureditozleg's I4 attheopposite or receiving end' of'the' loader". Interlocking: runners or links 64 pivotally connected to the chainsare secured upon and carry-the: opposite ends of thepusher bars-- for reciprocation of the bars toward and aWayfrom-the press. The-chains40move bodily wit the trays intoand out ofthe press with the ham drive shafts 30 idle: during movement oftl'i'e t'raysinto the press, driven in one.- direction to hold the pusher bars stationary during: retracticn of' the trays from the press: and then reversed in": motion: to withdraw the pusher bars tor their initialposition of rest at" the receiving edges: of the trays at the end of tray-return. movement-z .The pusher bars 42 have-surfaces iT' swingable between horizontal position fiush=with th'ertravtops (Figure 1 assumed during: lbading: of the loader" trays; and vertical; sheetengaging positiorr (Figure 3)", assumed duringtransfer" ofthe' sheets" from the loader" to the press; generally' similar" to. the operation of" theearlier. machine.

The present" invention residesincertain impro ement'sfin construction of the trays- Hi and" oftlie enacting pusher bar" mechanism. Such trays? are of sectional construction, including tray.- plate sections 46 havingtheir adjoining side orlongitudinal edges flanged downward and secured together'by'b'olts"48 to" form an unbroken sheet-supporting, tray surface (Figurei). When worn; or. damaged" the individual" tray plate sec:- tions'oan. be replaced readily rath'erthan replaci'n'gth'e entire tray, and the'cost of" replacement is small.

The movable supportingi posts: 4 are" interconnected" by structural tray-supporting; channels. with down-turned flanges (Figures 1' and 31". The. receiving endslofthe' tray plate. sections restl upon these. channels. and the sections project. from. them. toward. the. press. These ends. of the tray'pl'atesareturnedidbwn. to form acontinuous. reinforcing. edge 50(Figures 1'.and13)l.. The ends of the plate sections 46. adjacent to the press. are flanged downward and? secured by bolts. or rivets 52-. tolthe angle brass. stiffener and shoe; member; .5'4Textending thewi'd'thof the tray, as shown in Ei'gure 5.. The rivets-pass. through the vertical flange ofitheslioe angle 54', tliet'ray plateflange, a. reii iforcing s'pacenstri'p 5.6. interposed. between. the t-ray plate flange and; shoe. flange andlrei'nforcing. or. washer. strips. 58' backing. the. tray flange.

The tray supporting structure is completedby longitudinal channel brass shoes 60 located. at intervals widthwise of the tray and extending longitudinally between members 54 and 44 to support the tray plate sections. Since these shoes ride on the press platens as the trays are slid into the press, it will be evident that the shoe. metalf. should be: a; lowfriction bearing metal complemental to the press platens, and with steel platens brass shoes are preferred. These channels at their ends beneath the loadingends-ofithe trays and remote from the press are cut andtheir webs bent down to form mounting flanges 60 bolted. to the adjoining flanges of the structural.channel 44 as shown in Figures 3; 4*,and5; To support the channels 60 at their opposite. ends; they are notched for insertion into. the space between the inwardly directed horizontal flange of the angle brass stiffener 54 and the tray plate bottom, at the same time providing a. flush. relationship. between. the; channel and angle brass shoesforunifornrslidingcontactt thereof with. the; respective: press; platens.

In additionto acting; assholes; on which.to:sup.-- port the. trays inthenpress-the.channels Bil serve: other purposes, one. of which: istozreceive. and house the longitudinal. tray plate. flange. joints- The upturned flangesof these channels.supportingly engage the bottoms of the. plate. sections: at. opposite sides of these. joints. Other similar: brass channel shoes: 6'0 support the tray plates at intermediate. locations at: which, complemens tal tothese: intermediate channels,. the. tray plates are creased or bent to: form longitudinal.

grooves or channels 46 entering the openings;

of channels- 60 and extending the length. thereof; for stiffening and. supporting purposesl.v Near; their edges remote from. the. press, at the.loca'--- time of the formed channels 46%; the trayplatesare slotted at the ends-of such channel'suto; per

mit these channelsto.be formed without buck ling of the plate areawhich. directly: overlies: the structural channel 44- and". which. must. remain substantially fiat.-

If" thebrasschannel shoes 60- become worn from sliding on thepress platens or rolling on rollers 16, they are easily 'repl'aced; Anin'dividual channel shoe is removed by removing its support ing bolt fromit's flange 63" and the structural channel 4'4 and swinging that end' of the shoe down until it clears the lower edge of such chan-- nel, when the channel shoe 60 maybe drawnlenghthwiseaway from the-press-to remove it from its support on thestiffenershoe-M. Astheendof the channel shoe remote from roller i6 is swung downward the shoe pivotsbn such roller as a fulcrum (Figure 5), temporarily deflecting upward that portion of the tray above the roller the necessary amount to permit withdrawal of the channel shoe. A new channel shoe may'be: inserted by the reverse procedure; It should be noted that the formed channels: 46 and tray plate'flange joints 48 serve as locatingguides to' facilitate reinstallingchann'el's Bilby sliding them. lengthwise along; the channels and" joints in straddling relationship. A particular advantage" of this feature resides in the convenience and rapidity with which worn channel shoes may be replaced while the press is inoperation and without dismantling the loadingv mechanism- While angle member. 54 will. be worn duringthe initial use. of the. loaderv itis not. necessary. to. replace.it',. because the shoesfiil will afford adequate support. for thev tray. When these are renewed member. 54 will not contact the press platens until shoes 60.

again are worn suificiently to require replacing. Consequently member 54 will suffer no appreciableadditional wear.

To increase 'the load-carrying ability of the shoes, it is preferred that they be bowed upward slightly prior to assembly with a tray. Upon assembly the central portion will then be stressed and pressed, tightly against the bottom of the tray and theend adjacent to the press will fit tightly in the angle member 54.

Tabs 681cm the lower edges of the bars 42, which enterthe formed channels 46' in the tray plates with the pusher bar in operative position for reciprocation to engage the edges of panels to be delivered to the press, insure that the veneer sheets held in the press by the bars cannot pass beneath them as the trays are retracted. More dependable operation of the loading mechanism is thereby obtained;

The T-bars 42 are supported between the pendulous runners 64 which swing through right angles as the bars are returned from operative position to retracted position ready for. refilling of the loader. In such retracted position the hold-back bars drop into hook-like hangers i2 projecting from the receiving edge of each tray at locations spaced inward from legs i4. These project beyond the tray and extend slightly below the tray proper to bring the T-bar upper surface level with the tray. For mounting purposes these hangers include shank portions secured to the top of the structural channel 44. The inner ends of these straight portions are beveled to form cam surfaces or guides F2 inclined upward from the plate of the tray surface. Upon reaching these cam surfaces during its return movement a pusher bar is raised sufficiently so that its tabs clear the plate-covered structural channel during passage over it.

I claim-a my invention:

1. In-tray type loading mechanism for transferring sheets to receiving surfaces, a tray reciprocable edgewise between a withdrawn position adjacent .to a receiving surface and transfer position overlapping such surface, said tray comprising a row of generally coplanar, aligned sheet sections, successive sections having downwardly flanged adjacent side edges secured together, and aligned end edges disposed perpendicular to said flanged edges at the trays end adjacent to such receiving surface, a stiffener shoe member extending along and interconnecting said aligned end edges for stiffening of such end edges and projecting below such end edges for sliding engagement of such shoe with such receiving surface as the tray moves into overlapping relationship therewith, and a plurality of channel traysupporting shoe members each receiving between its flanges one of said section flange connections and projecting beneath such sections to slidably engage such receiving surface cooperatively with said stiffener shoe member, said channel shoe members extending perpendicular to said stiffener shoe member and having one end supported thereby.

2. In tray type loading mechanism for transferring sheets to receiving surfaces, a tray reciprocable between a withdrawn position adjacent to a receiving surface and transfer position overlapping such surface, said tray comprising a row of generally coplanar, aligned sheet sections, successive sections having downwardly flanged adjacent side edges secured together, each such section being formed with downwardly projecting channels between and parallel to said ing of such end edges and projecting below such end edges for sliding engagement with such receiving surface as the' tray moves into over-' lapping relationship therewith, a plurality of channel tray-supporting shoe members'each receiving between its flanges one of said section flange connections and said channeled section portions and projectingbeneath such sections to slidably engage such receiving surface co operatively with said stiffener shoe member, said channel shoe members extending perpendicular to said stiffener shoe member and having one" end removably supported thereby, and means dis-'- engageably interconnecting the other ends of said channel tray-supporting shoe members for quick disengagement of such members therefrom. 3. In tray type loading mechanism for trans ferring sheets to receiving surfaces, a tray reciprocable between-a withdrawnposition adjacent to a receiving surface and transfer position overlapping such surface, said tray comprising a row of generally coplanar, aligned sheet sections, successive sections having downwardly flanged adjacent side edges secured together, each such section being formed with downwardly projecting channels between and parallelto said flanged edges and having aligned end edges disposed perpendicular to said flanged edges at the trays end adjacent to such receiving surfaces, a stiffener shoe-member extending along and interconnecting said aligned end edges for stiffening of such end edges and projecting below such end edges for sliding engagement with such receiv-" ing surface as the tray moves into overlapping relationship therewith, a plurality of channel tray-supporting shoe members each receiving between its flanges one of said section flange connections and said channeled section portions and projecting beneath such'sections to slidably engage such receiving surface-cooperatively with;

said stiffener shoe member, said channel shoe members extending perpendicular to said stifi'' ener shoe member and having one end supported thereby, and a pusher bar extending transversely" of said formed channels, movable relative to said sheet tray sections parallel to such channels and" having tabs projecting downward below the loweredge thereof into said formed channels, operable to block movement of sheets edgewise between said pusher bar and said tray sections.

4. In tray type loading mechanism for transferring sheets to receiving surfaces, a linearly reciprocable sheet metal tray formed with downwardly projecting channel portions at a plurality of spaced locations, defining tray surface grooves each parallel to the direction of tray reciprocation, stiffener shoe means extending along one end of said tray perpendicular to said grooves and having a horizontal flange projecting inwardly toward the opposite end of said tray and slidably engageable with the receiving surface, and a plurality of channel tray-supporting shoes each releasably connected by one end to the end of the tray opposite said stifiener shoe and each receiving between its flanges one of such downwardly projecting channel portions, each of said channel shoes having its opposite end slidably supported on said horizontal flange for endwise withdrawal therefrom when released at its opposite end, while being normally restrained by said sesame henrflrertiens. against lateral; sliding-1 on; said:

horizentalilanee;

Ea n; ra tim v ad g mechan sm, or.- trans rri e; shee s. ov iv g surfaces. a suppo ingface grooves each perpendicular to said supportingibarrand atoneside-thereof, astiffener memeber extending along the opposite end of said tray, apluralityof channel tray-supporting shoes each t o e; e pno ne y engaged y s id s ff-- ener; member and each; receiving between its flanges; n f. suc downward y p jectin ch p l. por ion and orma y arched upward, and means interconnecting the Opposite; end of e ch. shoezand sa v s p ting bar andih lding, uch shoe stressed in substantially straight condition pressed against the, under side of, said trays 6.. In tray type loading, mechanism for transferring; sheets to receiving surfaces, a linearly; reciprocable sheet metal tray, having downwardly bentwportions at a plurality of spacedlocations, forming downwardly projecting ridges extending parallel to the direction of tray reciprocation, a stiffener member extending along and connected to an edge of said tray perpendicular to said ridges, and a plurality of channel tray-support ing. shoes slidable on the receiving surface and each receiving; between its flanges one of such ridges, and having one end removably supported; by said stiffener member and its, opposite end removably connected to the opposite end of the rail 7. tray type loading; mechanism for trans: ferring'sheets to receiving surfaces, a sheet metal trayreciprocable: linearly between a withdrawn position; adjacent to a receiving surface and transfer positionv overlapping such surface, said tray having downwardly bent, portions; at. a plu-l. rality of spaced locations, forming downwardly projecting ridges arranged parallelto the direcyti'on, of trayreciprocation, an anglestifiener. shoe,

member; extending along and connected to the edge. ofsuch tray adjacent to such receivingsurf-aces, and perpendicular to said ridges and having a horizontal flange disposed below suchedge for sliding on such a receiving surface as the-tray moves into overlapping position relative tosuch surface, and a plurality of channel tray-.-

suppor ing eachreceiv ng. e weenl its-- flan s. one. or, such; ridges, extending. perpen dicular to said shoe stiffener member and having oneend resting slidably. on such ,horizontal,flange thereof to. dispose the bottom. urface; of said channel plate-supporting shoes substantially in,

the same plane as the. bottomof said horizontal. flange of said an le stiffener shoe. member; and, having its opposite endconnectedto the opposite end of the tray.

8. In, traytype loading mechanism, for transferring sheets to receiving surfaces, a sheet metal tray reciprocable linearly between a withdrawn position adjacent. to afreceiving surfacev and transfer position, overlapping such, surface, said ray aving do n ard y bent porti nsata. in:- ra-lit-y, of spaced locations, forming downwardly pro ecting: rid es arranged, parallel to. he d rec-- tion of tray reciprocation, an angle:- stiffener shoe. mem r ex endin along-1 and; onne ted to the edge; of, said tray adjacent to such receiving:

surfaces and perpendicular to said, ridges and having a horizontal flange disposed below such edge for sliding on such a, receiving surface as the tray moves into overlapping position relative to such surface, a plurality of ,channeltray-supporting shoes each receiving between its flanges one of such ridges, extending perpendicular'to said shoe stiffener member and having one end resting slidably on such horizontal flange thereof to dispose the bottom surface of said channel plate-supporting shoes substantially in the sameplane as the; bottom of said horizontal flange of said angle; stiffener shoe member, and separate means supporting the other end of each of said,

tray-supporting shoes for quick disengagement-- andwithdrawalof, any tray-supporting shoe end,- wise on said shoe, stiffener member horizontal. flange in removing suchshoe from beneath the tray. 1

EDWARD L, CRQSTON.

EFERENC siren The; following references are of; record; in, the 

